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IRONMAN Florida To Return to Panama City Beach in 2019

General registration for the 2019 IRONMAN Florida triathlon will open on Monday, November 12.

IRONMAN announced that the 2019 IRONMAN Florida triathlon will return to its original location in Panama City Beach. Due to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Michael on Panama City Beach and the surrounding Bay County, IRONMAN and local partners concluded it would not be feasible to host IRONMAN Florida in its usual location for 2018. All resources in Panama City Beach and Bay County have been focused on public safety and the significant recovery efforts required.

"We are grateful to Polk County and Haines City for stepping up to support a fellow Florida city and help make IRONMAN Florida possible on such a condensed timeline," said Shane Facteau, Chief Operating Officer for IRONMAN. "It has been a collective goal to use this year’s event to create the best possible race experience for our athletes and lift up Panama City Beach, allowing for them to take care of their needs. At the same time, we know the positive tourism impact our races can have for communities and we are thrilled to know Panama City Beach will be ready for the return of thousands of athletes and their families and friends in 2019. We have 20 years of history racing in the region and look forward to continuing that legacy and helping Panama City Beach get back to business with next year’s event."

The 2019 IRONMAN Florida triathlon in Panama City Beach will take place on Saturday, November 2, 2019. With the host city of Panama City Beach and the surrounding Bay County still under repair, athletes are asked to remain patient when booking accommodations.

"Visit Panama City Beach is proud to have hosted IRONMAN in the destination for the last 20 years," said Richard Sanders, Vice President of Sports and Events of Visit Panama City Beach. "The devastation of Hurricane Michael has impacted our community, but we plan to return stronger than ever in 2019 to host thousands of talented athletes to The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches."

As part of the recovery efforts for the local race community in Panama City Beach, the IRONMAN Foundation has set up multiple initiatives to aid in relief:

DONATE – The IRONMAN Foundation is matching all donations received by IRONMAN Florida race weekend, up to $100,000 and has already pledged $50,000 to support recovery efforts.